Box Score LYNDHURST, N.J. – A penalty kick conversion by freshman forward Leo Yang (Palisades Park, N.J./Queen of Peace) with five minutes, 13 seconds, remaining in regulation time lifted Felician University to a 2-1 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference men's soccer victory over visiting Goldey-Beacom College on Saturday night at the Lyndhurst Recreation Complex.
Felician (3-3, 2-1 CACC) improved to 3-0 at home this season. Yang finished the night with a goal and an assist.
Goldey-Beacom (4-2, 2-1) started the match strong, creating several early chances with its speed. Just 1:32 into the contest, GBC sophomore Nicolas Jaramillo (Cali, Colombia/Colegio Jefferson) got free past the Golden Falcon defense, and launched a shot which bounded off of the crossbar. Lightning teammate Fernando Sanchez (Madrid, Spain/Arenales) was the first man to the rebound. His low shot was ticketed for the back of the net, but Felician junior Maxi Ojeda (Yonkers, N.Y./DeWitt Clinton) beat the ball to the spot and cleared it off the goal line.
Shortly thereafter, however, the Lightning cashed in. Junior Chahin Agrim (Bonn, Germany/Friedrich-Ebert) send a cross from the right side through traffic parallel the goal line. The ball went untouched until it reached the foot of Sanchez outside the left post. Sanchez finished with one-touch to give the visitors the lead just 3:06 into the match.
The Golden Falcons' best chance to score in the opening period came shortly after the ensuing kickoff. Yang's low shot from left of the 18-yard box hit the inside of the right post, but somehow did not continue into the goal.
The Golden Falcons were able to even out the play after the Lightning's opening barrage. Their efforts paid off in the 65th minute when Kevin Valdivia (Hawthorne, N.J./PCTI) served a ball over the box. Yang deftly touch-passed it to Christopher McLaughlin (Hollis, N.Y./Preparatory Academy for Writers), who one-timed a shot into the net. Sanchez and McLaughlin both picked up their fifth goals of the season, moving into a tie for second place in the CACC.
A strong individual effort by McLaughlin set up the game-winner. The sophomore striker beat two defenders as the rest of the Felician attack rushed to meet him. As he made a move past the second defender toward the goal, he was taken down in the box. McLaughlin was injured on the play, so the Golden Falcons turned to the rookie Yang for the decisive penalty. GBC goalkeeper Suhail Bismilla (Johannesburg, South Africa/Andrews Academy) got his fingertips on Yang's attempt but was unable to corral it.
Felician held the Lightning without a shot for the balance of the night.
Felician finished with a 12-10 edge in shots. Sanchez and the Golden Falcons' Gabe Viana (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) got off three each to lead their sides. Senior John Burns (Saddle Brook, N.J./Saddle Brook) needed to make two saves to earn the victory for the Golden Falcons; Bismilla stopped four shots for GBC.
The Golden Falcons conclude a three-game homestand when they welcome Mercy College to Lyndhurst for a non-conference tilt on Wednesday at 8:15 p.m.
